Express Marketing Memo

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That little yellow padlock icon at the bottom of your Internet browser window may be giving us a false sense of security.

I made an online purchase today via a customer update form on a secure Web page. The URL included “https” and the little yellow padlock icon was definitely there, at the bottom right of my Flock browser.

Imagine my dismay when I discovered that this “secure” form transmitted all of my sensitive data via form mail. My full name, address, phone number, credit card information … the whole works, traveled from a secure web page via a non-encrypted email to the corporate inbox.

How did I learn of this? The thank you page linked back to a free Form Mail script archive. Oh yes, I’m feeling like a valued customer now!

Not only did it make the trip once, but an employee who received my form was also kind enough to answer a question, and replied to me with all of my form data in the body of her email. There were no x’s replacing credit card numbers or expiration date. Nope, it was all there for any reasonably proficient identity thief to see.

Why would any company that offers a good product and otherwise excellent customer service, fail so miserably on basic Internet security? The employee apologized for her error, but this isn’t a little “oops, I screwed up” type of mistake. Because the company didn’t take the time or effort to consider how their foolish shortcut could harm their customers and didn’t bother engaging in the most basic Internet security training, they’ve lost my trust. In my mind, their brand has gone from “quality product, excellent service” to wondering what other shortcuts they’ve taken.

Small Business Takeaway – If you collect ANY sensitive customer data, make sure you either know how to collect and transmit that data securely or hire someone who knows what they’re doing.

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Remember the old “telephone” game we played as children? You know the one … one child whispers to the next, who whispers to the next, on and on down the line. The last child repeats the message to the group and everyone has a good laugh because it’s nothing like the first message sent.

We’re not immune to message breakdown on the Internet. Far from it! The difference is that misinformation grows legs online. It spreads exponentially. And many times that misinformation begins at the source.

Emailed Stories – Truth or Fiction?

Might Barack Obama really be a “radical Muslim,” sworn into office on the Quran, endorsed for President of the U.S. by the Ku Klux Klan, funded by Hugo Chavez, and uncaring toward U.S. soldiers during his July 2008 trip to Afghanistan?

Have all the schools in the UK really removed teaching about the Holocaust from their curriculum?

If we all stop buying gasoline from Shell, Chevron, Texaco, Exxon and Mobil, will it really have any effect on funds available for terrorism?

What’s the agenda?

What’s behind each of these stories that arrive unrequested in your inbox? Each story announces its agenda, if we’ll take the time to read between the lines. Far too often the story lightly masks an agenda of hatred or fear mongering.

Why is it so easy to believe a message sent via email, forwarded from a complete stranger?

Take a Stand!

Please join me in taking a stand against the spread of misinformation. Before you hit forward, check out the story on Snopes.com or TruthOrFiction.com. Both of these sites maintain a database of urban legends and current stories circulating online. Isn’t it worth a few moments of your time to make certain that you’re spreading truth, and not propagating lies?

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Here’s some encouragement for any of you thinking about starting a blog, but not yet ready to get your feet wet. Andy MacDonald says, “Go On, Start Blogging Now.”

The advice to “start blogging now” is really quite consistent with a carefully thought-out and competently executed business blogging strategy. The experience gained from launching, designing, and posting to a simple “starter” blog is a critical component in the obligatory “data gathering” phase of developing an informed business blogging strategy.

He goes on to say that you can’t effectively plan your overall blogging strategy until you’ve had some relevant direct experience. I agree.

And while you’re at it, have some fun with it. Experiment with a couple of different blog platforms. I’m partial to WordPress, but you may prefer Typepad or Blogger or one of the other options available through your Web host.

Don’t get too hung up on design at this point. Instead, focus on your message. What is it that you want to communicate to your audience? Learn how to draw your audience in to a conversation.

Read the rest of Andy’s post here.

Photo Credit: Mike Licht on Flickr (Creative Commons)

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Traditional marketing methods push marketing messages to the consumer. For example, take the roadside billboard as an example of traditional push advertising. In the Fox Valley area of Wisconsin, they’re everywhere.

Many, myself included, consider these billboards an eyesore, not because they’re ugly or offensive, but because too many of them block the view of our beautiful countryside.

This isn’t a popular view among the business owners whose signs dot the landscape. Obviously a lot of eyeballs view these billboards and for some businesses this is an effective form of marketing communication.

Still, I wonder if it’s sustainable as we continue to move toward what some are calling a “Relationship Economy.” How many of these pushed marketing messages actually break through the clutter? If you step back and look at the question from your own personal experience, do you purchase the car because it looked great on the billboard or because your online research revealed it was a great performer, with excellent gas mileage, and credible third party reviews?

The billboard, television and magazine ads no doubt drew your attention, but today’s consumer wants and expects to receive more. We actively seek answers before we purchase. We look for real conversation, not just marketing-speak.

“All this ’social stuff’ represents power to the consumer, the people. The conversations people have amongst their relationships are creating the new economy.” ~ from RSS Applied

Read about the evolution from industrial era corporate communications to today’s social era on the RSS Applied blog.

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Don’t you just love spammers? Me neither!

It may seem that I’d welcome them with open arms, seeing as this is a “Do Follow” blog. In other words, the default “nofollow” tag doesn’t attach itself to the Web site URL you leave behind when you comment. Spammers no doubt consider this to be fertile ground!

So, in an effort to encourage legitimate comments and conversation, here’s my policy when it comes to whether or not your blog comment makes it past this human filter.

Leave your name, not a keyword phrase in the name field. It’s my first clue that there may be a human on the other end of the comment.

Like every other writer, I’m glad to hear when you like what I’ve written, but if you’re only telling me that to gain a link, please don’t. You’ll gain a link through contributing to the conversation. Tell me why you’ve liked it, what you’ve learned, add your perspective, or tell me that I’m all wet … here’s why. I’m all for reciprocal linking, but not just for the sake of the link … let’s offer each other’s readers some value.

Please don’t link back directly to your sales page. That’s like walking into a networking meeting and shouting, buy my products! It’s annoying to my readers and of no benefit to you.

When a comment comes through the second time word-for-word, it doesn’t make it past the spam filter. It may sound like a legitimate comment once, but the second time is a dead give-away.

To all who have contributed thoughtful comments, thank you! Your participation is appreciated.

Do you have a blog commenting policy?

Related Articles:

Comment Spamming Do Follow Blogs 101

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